How to Get a Dancer's Abs Fast

by
BROOKE PEYMAN Sept. 11, 2017

Brooke Peyman

Brooke Peyman has been writing since 2004. Her articles have appeared in "The State Press." Peyman holds a Bachelor of Science in nutrition communication from Arizona State University and has also earned her Yoga Alliance Certification.

Dancers are known for having tight and toned abdominal muscles as a result of their daily efforts. However, dancers are not born with amazing mid-sections; they sculpt their abs with exercise and a great deal of discipline. Dancers keep their bellies firm by consistently performing movements that involve all of the major muscles of their body. Stability and interval training will help you get your own slim waistline, as will a healthy diet and target training for your midsection.

Video of the Day

Step 1

Eat often. The Centre for Dance Nutrition suggests that going for long periods of time without fueling your body can result in a loss of muscle mass and increased body fat percentage, which is why it is important to eat several small meals a day to maintain a lean body. Consume whole grains, lean meats, fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy products and nuts to best support your body.

Step 2

Train aerobically. Break a sweat with activities like power walking, hill climbing, cycling, jogging, swimming and simulated stair climbing. The American College of Sports Medicine suggests optimizing your energy expenditure during aerobic exercise by varying your intensity while completing the exercise.

Step 3

Stabilize your core. Dancers often hold poses that demand great balance, requiring the core to stabilize the rest of the body. Add stability training into your workouts by standing on one leg to make your movements more challenging. Any exercise that you normally perform, like bicep curls, overhead presses and even squats, can be done on an unstable surface to strengthen your core muscles.

Step 4

Train in intervals. Dancers often perform high-intensity movements followed by recovery periods during practices and even performances. You can interval train with any kind of aerobic activity by exercising at full-strength for one minute and then exercising at a moderate pace for two minutes.

Step 5

Strengthen your abdominal muscles by specifically working your midsection with abdominal exercises. Dancers use all of their core muscles to ensure that they are worked and sculpted. Complete a four-minute circuit of bicycle twists, reverse crunches, traditional crunches and a plank hold, performing each exercise for one minute. This circuit will target all of the major muscles of your core.